Leading ATP players, including Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev, were left emotional after being told about the insurmountable odds tennis players face to become successful. Novak Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, also had an emotional reaction to the motivational video.
Novak Djokovic’s Wife Gets Emotional Over Motivational ATP Tour Video
The ATP launched a new social media series on Wednesday, called the “Locker Room.” In it, several ATP stars were asked what motivates them, and later presented with remarkable statistics showing how difficult it is to reach the top of the tennis charts.
Shelton, Zverev, Medvedev, Alex de Minaur, Casper Ruud, and Alexander Bublik were among the players who were presented with these incredible statistics.
“There are 8.5 billion people in the world and you’re just one. And despite that scale, you became known by tennis fans in every corner of the globe. 87 million people play the game that you’ve mastered. To be top 100, that’s close to one-in-a-million. Ten get to the very top of the sport, that’s one in several million. And it’s in that thin air that you’ve learned to thrive against players who were also one-in-a-million,” the players were told by actor Jamie Bamber.
Most of the players became emotional after hearing the words, as they were given a reflection on how far they have come in their careers. Shelton could be seen sobbing in the video, while Zverev also got emotional. Medvedev said that this was a reminder of how it is good to take a step back and reflect on how far they have come.
Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, also commented under the video.
“Ah, this was very touching. Made me emotional too,” she wrote in the comments section.
Djokovic has achieved nearly every accolade there is to be won in tennis with Jelena by his side. The two attended the same high school and have been together since 2005.
Now 38, Djokovic has won a record 24 Grand Slams and 40 Masters tournaments, cementing his status as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The Serbian remains a force on the ATP Tour. He made the final of the Australian Open earlier this year after overcoming Jannik Sinner in a thrilling battle.
A three-time champion at Roland Garros, Djokovic will now be gunning for an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open. The 2026 French Open kicks off this Sunday, and Djokovic will be seeded third for the tournament.
